I don’t recall any producer/screenwriter who gets as much hate as Yu Zheng does in China, and frankly it’s all well-deserved. He hasn’t churned out a single watchable drama yet his dramas keep bringing in the ratings. Last week C-ent was abuzz with the biggest news concerning Yu Zheng’s currently airing Gong 3, a drama that even when I watched the trailer immediately made me think Yu Zheng copied famous Taiwanese writer and drama producer Qiong Yao‘s Plum Blossom Brand. Normally all the writers whose work Yu Zheng has copied over the years have just called him out for being a douchebag, but this time Qiong Yao actually penned a letter to SARFToutlining the blatant idea plagiarism and asking for Gong 3 to be taken of the air. She then promptly had conniptions and is currently recuperating in Taipei and her distress had led to actresses that got famous doing a Qiong Yao drama such as Zhao Wei and Ruby Lin to speak out on her behalf. Yu Zheng responded that he didn’t copy anything. Sigh. Due to the popularity of Gong 3, Yu Zheng just dropped the first teaser trailer for his upcoming remake of Return of the Condor Heroes to strike while the iron is hot. I’ve given up on this remake having any semblance to the source novel or even watchable when half the characters are miscast and/or being rewritten in personality and motivation. The release of the teaser immediately garnered the expected levels of netizen scorn for chubby-cheeked Michelle Chen playing lithe lissome cold beauty Xiaolongnu while everyone is heaping excitement over C-actress Dong Xuan‘s gorgeous cameo turn as Ancient Tomb Sect founder Lin Chao Ying. I’m in for Chen Xiao as Yang Guo even of he’s styled as a hobo and has to act opposite Michelle. The teaser is watchable and at least I’m not tempted to spork my eyes out afterwards.

Apparently he already has plans for a fourth season next year and seeing how well gong 3 is doing (last i checked, online views was second only to the well deserving winner Perfect Couple) so i guess he will have his away (again). I’m guilty of watching gong 3, tempted by Lu Yi, but the plot got so that not even the man can stop me from dropping it..

but the ROTCH 2006 got the best ost!! I love the theme song so much! its haunting and beautiful plus the cast as drop dead gorgeous compared to this… the lead actress is not pretty enough… hands down, Li Yi Fei is the prettiest among of the remakes. She is a symbol of pure beauty. Huang Xiao Ming is also still the best then, his smile could swoon many ladies including me!!

Er, why do people in China watch his shows anyway if it’s bad? I am one of those people who will avoid doing things if it’s unethical or help someone continue to be unethical. So unfortunately, wish my not watching would have helped. If I had a ratings box or be part of an audience that counted.

I found that whole plagrisim thing really annoying and Urgh. Well it’s clear that people really don’t care enough to actually speak out where it counts. As in not watch his stuff so the audience of viewers are indirectly supporting his methods. Plus he must be in cohorts with people in high places. Oh well. Money talks.

Qiong Yao was hoping that her open letter would make the tv station would pull the series off the airwaves because by the time a lawsuit is filed, the drama would have finished airing, but I don’t see why the tv station would do so, since the drama is really bringing in high ratings. But today Qiong Yao announced that she has appointed a legal rep and is putting in a lawsuit against Yu Zheng and potentially the media channels that are going to buy over the rights to air the show…I really hope she wins the lawsuit. That Yu Zheng has to be taught a lesson on plagiarism. A hard lesson.

i don’t know how many times they remake this show already. for me, the original with Andy Lau is the best. I’m not watching any other version. I am surprised people are still watching the remakes. I lost counts.. what else is there to watch?